Programme: Notte Bianca 2014

PROGRAMME: NOTTEBIANCA2014

VallettaEntrance – 19:00

No night of festivities would be complete without a little pomp and circumstance. In that fashion Notte Bianca opens grandiosely with a special display from the rooftops, historical re-­‐enactments, and marching bands around Valletta.

NOTTEBIANCA – REDCARPET FreedomSquare – 19:00

Will be hosting an elegant red carpet event starting at 19.00. Come by and take your photos with all the glitz and glam!

BELLOPHONE – IndependenceSquare – All night Long

This year Notte Bianca is proud to present the Bellophone; an innovative project which will allow Notte Bianca patrons to play the bells of Valletta! A collaboration between sound designers, engineers and the Valletta communities has brought us one of the most innovative projects ever programmed for Notte Bianca.

Set up in Independence Square, the Bellophone is a large-­‐scale instrument incorporating two Valletta church bell towers -­‐ those of the Anglican and the Carmelite churches -­‐ and a state-­‐of-­‐the-­‐ art playing console. The console features a playing board, similar to a keyboard of a piano in function, but instead of keys it has large round buttons, which when pressed will ring the bells in the towers wirelessly. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for people to be able to play the bells of two churches simultaneously. For more info please visit: bellophone.org

ELECTROSTRAIT – StraitStreet – 19:00-­‐02:00

Throughout the night Strait Street will be having a ball, specifically an electroswing ball. Electro-­‐ Swing Malta will be pumping out the best tunes in this exciting novel genre, which blends vintage swing with contemporary production techniques. Don your finest duds and swing, swing, swing.

TBERFILTATTOO – PjazzaRepubblika – 19:00-­‐00:00

Get some ink! But not just any ink. This year Notte Bianca has commissioned a tattoo artist to design tattoos based on traditional Maltese tberfil. Tberfil is an elegant local typography that can traditionally be seen on vintage Maltese buses and luzzi (Maltese fishing boats). So come visit our tattooist at Pjazza Regina and don’t miss this opportunity to get inked the Maltese way.

ŻIFFAŻFIN – OldMarketPlace – 19:30-­‐00:30

Dance the night away! On an elevated stage at the Suq tal-­‐Belt we are going to be having a dance expo with a twist, featuring some of the best dance troupes on the island. Imagine line dancing to Maltese oldies, fiery flamenco to marci funebri, and oriental dance to local Ghana and more. This is fusion dancing like you will have never seen.

MALTAPOP – PjazzaTeatruRjal – 19:00

Surely there’s nothing that can get a smile on your face quicker than a Guggen band. Big dancing band, dressed up in motley Carnival colours, playing as loud and as boisterously as you can possibly imagine. On top of that the set list is going to be the best of Maltese pop music. What’s not to like?

NOTTEBIANCALIVE – PjazzaTeatruRjal – 21:00

Ever feel nostalgic for the old days? Then step into the music of our local past with the concert O Żmien Ħelu, featuring beloved songs from all the golden oldies. Maestro Dominic Galea has created arranagments for some of the greatest Maltese pop compositions. Then we got Enzo Guzman, Doreen Galea, Freddie Portelli, Mary Spiteri, Mary Rose Mallia, Mike Spiteri, Bayzo, William Mangion, Tony Camilleri and other surprises – even from abroad! All this will be presented by the Di u d-­‐Do of our old concerts, John Demanuele and Charles Saliba. Surely a night to be remembered -­ Live on PBS!

L-­GĦANAL-­KBIRA – GreatSiegeSquare – 19:00-­‐21:00

Għana is the music of the Maltese people and a tradition that needs to be passed on from generation to generation. This year Notte Bianca has started a community project, where a group of għanneja were commissioned to collaborate with by guitarist Evan Plumpton to teach 50 guitar students the art of għana. This special concert will see four of our finest għanneja singing with a backing band of over fifty guitar students.

CHOIRBOX – GreatSiegeSquare – 20:00|22:30

Outside the Law Courts experience an interactive choir. Browse the jukebox playlist set up nearby, select your favourite tune and enjoy the song performed live by the Mirabitur Choir just for you. The choir will also be collecting donations in aid of the community chest fund.

Some of the finest local bands will be taking the stage at different venues around Valletta to keep the night alive with music. Each venue will be dedicated to a specific music genre, so attendees can revel in the best Malta has to live music until the early hours. The Old University will turn into the Metal Stage with Malta’s best metal and doom bands. Teatru Manoel will present some of the best alternative and indie bands on islands whilst Pjazza San Ġwann will dance to the brass sounds of our big bands. For full details on the programme of events refer to the Notte Bianca Website or App.

ĠENNATARJALI – PjazzaTeatruRjal – AllNightEvent

Angels will be looking from above at Pjazza Teatru Rjal. This majestic installation will dress up the columns in the pjazza using traditional decorations and crafts as typically seen in local festas. A performance theatre team will be posing as statwi tal-­‐festa on top of the pillars.

It shouldn’t be too hard to spot our info team. Just look up at Castille Place, Merchant Street or St John’s Street, and look out for our friendly animators sitting on high lifeguard chairs, megaphones in hand, letting everyone know about all that is going on during the night. Feel free to ask them any questions; they will be more than happy to help. You can also purchase the limited edition Notte Bianca eco-­bags with original designs by Nadine Nako from all information points.

Fed up of shopping for the same old products on the same old shelves? Or are you looking for some genuine local arts and crafts items? Then Notte Bianca’s Great Flea Market is the place for you. Featuring florists, portrait artists, antiques, crafts, car-­‐boot sales, home-­‐made foods and all other sorts of stalls, the flea market will manifest the best Maltese markets have to offer. This area will also feature our own Villaġġ, a trade fair for various entities that will be exhibiting and promoting their services and organisations. Familiar local folk bands will be keeping the night alive with fun banter and good music.

AMAZE2 – St.George’sSquare – AllNightEvent

You think you can’t fit Science in one box? Think again! Logix Creative and Daaa Haus have been entrusted with the conceptualisation, design and fabrication of a massive cube science installation in Pjazza St. George during Science In The City 2014 and Notte Bianca 2014.

Introducing AMAZE2. A massive installation in the shape of a giant cube housing a maze that plans to portray the various elements of science in a fun and eclectic way. The installation, a journey through various rooms arranged as a full size maze, takes the visitor through various representations and interactive exhibits of science. From the weather to the big bang, from the earth to the human body, from solar energy to renewable energy, no stone will be left unturned.

Logix/Daaa are also thinking outside the box – quite literally -­‐ as around the installation there will be a host of other exhibits; Lufthansa will be presenting an array of interactive displays designed to experience the science around flight engineering; a car manufacturer will be displaying a fleet of EV vehicles; and a Beer manufacturer will be sponsoring a Beer Haus experiment bar. All this promises to make the AMAZE2 cube a truly unique experience. AMAZE2 offers visitors of all ages an accessible exhibition of educational displays that puts science in their hands. With the aid of Science in the City Consortium, Notte Bianca, Bio Pilot, Izaxa and V18. Logix/Daaa have will fit Science in the box and mixed it with art and culture to form an epic assault on the senses. Everyone will be truly AMAZED.

RITZARCADES – RepublicStreet – AllNightEvent

Ritz arcades, Valletta’s forgotten realm. Once a force in the strong retail era of Valletta, for the past twenty years the Ritz arcades have existed as an eminent ghost in Valletta. Dreams, memory and political issues all combine in this majestic empty building now only home to a cinema, that is almost forgotten, and an art studio gallery that has been working on the fringes for the past year.

Local artists Selina Scerri, Emma Talbot and Tom Estes have joined forces to transform the arcades of old into a novel, vibrant experience. Each of the three artists will be showcasing an exhibition in different areas of the arcades. Emma Talbot’s installation is entitled I Was Dreaming of You. Selina Scerri’s painting exhibition is called Visions of Realms Unknown. Finally Tom Estes will be displaying a performance in the cinema titled The Bell Ringer.

IĊĊAQLAQ (EUROPEAN MOVE WEEK) – St. James Bastion – 19:00-­‐02:00

Kunsill Malti għall-­‐Isport (KMS) has, for the second year in a row, been entrusted by the International Sports & Culture Association (ISCA) to organise the European Move Week in Malta between the 29th September and 5th October 2014. This year the KMS is featuring as part of Notte Bianca Valletta! Move Week is the flagship activity of the Now We Move campaign which aims to get 100 million more Europeans moving by the year 2020 in a bid to fight inactivity and obesity. Hosted in St. James Bastion, everyone is welcome to come participate in a wide range of exciting sports that are sure to get your feet moving and heart pumping. Judo, Karate, Boxing, Abseiling and Wheelchair Basketball will all be organising demonstrations for the public to watch and join in their activities. Come and put your sports shoes on!

VALLETTAOBSCURA – MerchantStreet|StJohnStreet – AllNightEvent

Have you ever wanted to step inside a photograph? Notte Bianca’s Camera Obscura is your chance to experience the Valletta cityscape through unique dreamlike projections. In this special dark room, a live reflection of the Valletta streets will fill up the walls. Lie down in the room and gaze upon the beauty of Valletta’s architecture given a new and dazzling perspective. The host will guide you through the principles behind camera obscura, an optical device that projects an image of its surroundings on a screen.

BIEBIL-­‐BOMBI – Biebil-­‐Bombi,Floriana – AllNightEvent

Every single day, hundreds of locals and tourists drive under the Bieb il-­‐Bombi monument in Floriana on their way to Valletta. But very few people know that there is access to the top of these gates. This year Notte Bianca is organising a special visit, where patrons can visit the overpass of these monumental gates. Don’t miss this one off opportunity to get a different perspective of these historical fortifications. Bieb il-­‐Bombi is an ornamental gate in the Floriana Lines, which formed the outer defensive walls of Valletta. Constructed in the Baroque style, the gates were completed in 1721, a year after the death of Fra Ramon Perellos u Roccaful, the 64th Grandmaster of the Order of Saint John. Perellos’ coat of arms appears above the gate.

LOGĦOBFIL-­‐LIBRERIJA – National Library – 7pm to 2am

The world of video games will enthrall children and adults alike at the National Library. Academics from University of Malta’s newest research centre Institute of Digital Games will showcase alternative, independent games that challenge our assumptions, ask problematic questions, and even help children with dyslexia. The selection of awards winning games will be showcased to players of all ages.

L-­‐IKLAT-­‐TAJBA – Stock Exchange Area – All night long

L-Ikla t-­Tajba at Notte Bianca is the final step of a Valletta 2018 initiative aimed at empowering a group of twenty youths and adults to learn the art of local cookery and have the opportunity to share their culinary talents with you. The team behind the stoves at Castille Place this evening had never been in a professional kitchen before taking up an intensive training programme organised by Valletta 2018 early in the summer. Training focused on both the technical and the creative side of cooking. They learnt how to respect local produce and the land that provides it. Participants were tasked with the design of their very own signature dishes, and tonight is where they showcase them. Assisted by a handful of professional chefs, the twenty people cooking for you tonight come from all walks of life. Some are married couples, other single mothers. There are business people, skilled people and unemployed; star pupils and children with learning difficulties; locals and expatriates -­‐ a wide array of participants brought together by their shared passion for food -­‐ all working as a tight team. This has been an empowering experience for all of them. The team came up with eight street food recipes using some of the island’s most cherished produce – namely lampuki, pork, rabbit, gbejna, pomegranate, potatoes, beetroot, bigilla, tomatoes, tuna, honey and grapes.

Hungry? L-­‐ikla t-­‐tajba, bon apetit

IT-­‐TIPTAGĦNA – Republic Street – All night long

The team behind local website MaltaType have been commissioned to collaborate with L-­‐Għaqda tal-­‐Malti Universita’ designed a series of banners, each featuring a specially selected quote from local authors. Look up at Merchants Street to take in the displays. The banners’ designs are influenced by vintage Maltese shop signs.

Pjazza Teatru Rjal – 12am

As the bells chime midnight, the Malta Youth Orchestra will be kicking off a swing concert in Pjazza Teatru Rjal full of oomph, pzazz and zing! Join this talented young ensemble for what promises to be a great energetic performance. The Malta Youth Orchestra is the ‘sister ensemble’ of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and is made up of talented young musicians. The target aim of the MYO is to provide an excellent opportunity for budding musicians to gain first-­‐hand experience playing in an orchestra and, more importantly, to participate in the joy of ensemble music-­‐making.

KASTILJAKLASSIKA – Castille Square – 7pm to 2am

Fancy a night at the proms? Then join us at the magisterial Pjazza Kastilja for a night of operatic and classical concerts. Music Maestro Productions, founded by Maltese tenor/conductor Brian Cefai and featuring some of the finest local singers and musicians, will be giving a concert full of the best classical music pieces and popular operatic arias. The evening will also feature a special concert of Maltese music and poetry.

ID-­DINJAFUQIL-­‐PLANĊIER – St Lucia Street – 7pm to 2am

Notte Bianca shall again be reviving the traditionnal Maltese plancier, which were used for concerts of band clubs around Valletta. Creating a beautiful reconstruction of this traditional stage, Notte Bianca will be giving this characteristically Maltese construct back to the city. Showcasing their talents on this stage will be motley crew of musical variety, including opera, 1920s style flapper girls, Samba music, and American Folk straight from America!

Casino Maltese – 8pm to 12am

A new musical project rooted in the rich tradition of the Maltese band club, Band on the Run aims to unite musicians from every local band club in Malta and Gozo. This talented ensemble already boasts over 70 members, who will be involved in both performance and education across this exciting cultural initiative. In the spirit of celebrating Malta’s much-­‐loved band music, Band on the Run strives to foster a sense of community between all local band clubs while nurturing musical talent amongst Malta’s young musicians. Aiming to offer performances of a high standard and new opportunities in musical education, this collaborative project will actively seek to fuse traditional band music with different musical styles. Such focused efforts will work to highlight Malta’s unique combination of local identity and European influence through music. The Band on the Run team is currently organising weekly rehearsals and outreach activities to band clubs in different towns and villages. Masterclasses, workshops and a series of performances and projects are being held in collaboration with local councils, local band clubs and schools. Community events are open to students as well as the general public, with the valuable participation of band masters, conductors and teachers from the various localities involved. Solo performers and chamber groups from various communities are also contributing to performances and masterclasses. By 2018, Band on the Run plans to hold activities in all localities in Malta and Gozo. Band on the Run (Banda Nazzjonali ta’ Valletta 2018) is a collaboration between Valletta 2018. Foundation and Għaqda Każini tal-­‐Banda.

FUQL-­‐ORGNITA’PARTIBERT – Knisja Santu Wistin – 8.30pm

The Cantores choir will give us a concert on one of the hidden musical gems of Valletta, the organ at the church of St Augustine. The programme includes beautiful pieces from Maltese composers such as Benigno Zerafa, Rev. John Galea, Giuseppe Fenech but also Mediterranean contemporary and classic composers such as Ennio Morricone and Guiseppe Verdi.

ĠENNATARJALI – Pjazza Teatru Rjal – All Night Long

Angels will be flying from above at Pjazza Teatru Rjal. This majestic installation will dress up the columns in the pjazza using traditional decorations and crafts as typically seen in local festas. A performance theatre team will be posing as statwi tal-­‐festa on top of the pillars.

IL-­‐QADDISIN! – Tal-­‐KarmnuChurch – All Night Long

Inside tal-­‐Karmnu Church strange happenings are afoot. The traditional vari of our beloved local feasts are coming to life to tell their tales and reminisce the good old days of their respective festas. Even long standing rivals like San Ġorġ and San Bastjan will be trying to settle old scores!

PINTATEATRU,QATTMANINSA – Palace Courtyard –7.30pm to 1am

Three inventive local theatre groups are putting up projects inspired by the stories discovered during the V18 and Maritime Museum project. The Valletta 2018 Foundation, in collaboration with Heritage Malta, launched the first edition of Qatt Ma Ninsa in June. Qatt Ma Ninsa is a collective memory project, aimed at collecting stories and objects related to the sea. Qatt Ma Ninsa invited the public to the Maritime Museum, bringing along objects, photographs or memorabilia related to the sea and to share memories and stories associated with these objects. Featuring Claudio Carta, Versilħoss and Maleth, you will be seeing these stories brought to life at the palace courtyard.

Żigużajg is the International Arts Festival for Children and Young People held annually in Valletta produced by St. James Cavalier Centre for Creativity. The performances target an audience of children and youth, from newborns to 16 year olds. Żigużajg will be giving a very special preview of its programme for 2014 during Notte Bianca. Join the Żigużajg team at the Upper Barracca Gardens on the night for a guaranteed evening of creativity, culture and fun for children of all ages! Participating artists include Trevor Zahra, Drama Unit, Xarulu’ and St James Cavalier Animators. This year Notte Bianca’s children’s area will be taken over by the Ziguzajg team!

ATMOSFERA – All Around Valletta – All Night Event

Notte Bianca is the night where all of Valletta comes to life. From City Gate to the far end of the peninsula, every street, corner and pjazza will be buzzing with spectacle. Museums, churches and other magical spaces will be waiting for you to pop a visit. From the usual jazz at the Bridge Bar to the grandiose St John’s Co-­‐Cathedral tours, there is definitely something for everyone. So wander around, explore, and soak up the atmosphere.

For full details on the Atmosfera programme of events refer to the Notte Bianca Website or App.

* * * * *

Notte Bianca is held in Valletta each year and is a spectacular, night-long celebration of culture and the arts in Malta’s capital. The streets and cultural venues come alive with a programme of entertainment designed to hold something of appeal for everyone.

Cultural venues, state palaces and museums open their doors almost all night, with many playing host to visual art exhibitions, dance and theatre performances. Streets and squares become venues for open-air concerts, while many cafes and restaurants extend their hours and also run pavement stalls. All art and musical forms are represented from classical to pop and contemporary.

The Malta Council for Culture & the Arts organises Notte Bianca with the support of the Ministry for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport. The event sees Valletta become an ‘open city’ of culture. The programme is designed to ensure every area of Valletta is involved, from City Gate to the far end of the peninsula.

Notte Bianca has held seven successful editions with record numbers attending each year.